Posy

I'm a Flea Market Baby

I know I'm a little late in discovering this book (Flea Market Baby by Barri Leiner & Marie Moss ISBN-13: 978-1584793083) as it came out in 2003 but I absolutely love it. I've read it from cover to cover in 2 nights, though there isn't much writing in it, just delectable pictures. Very lovely pictures that even have the edges of the pages ever-so-slightly yellowed to look truly vintage!

How on earth have I never come across this book and it's sister book before? I don't know - but I'm now officially asking you all out there if you know of a book you think I may like, please let me know!

 

The sister book (well I'm saying sister because I bought both together!) is called 'Flea Market Fidos' (ISBN-13: 978-1584792536) and it's just as lovely and waiting by my bed for me to finish tonight.

And apart from giving me 3 nights of bedtime pleasure (!...the books, the books!!) they have also worked their magic in another more welcome way.  Yes, after gazing upon page after page of the most wonderful vintage finds I am beginning to get a weeny bit excited about our NZ trip. It is less than a week away and the thought of all the vintage goodness waiting for me on the other side of the world makes the leaving feel less sharp and me much more mellow.  Funny that!

Home ~ FamilyLifeStyle

Oh I wish, truly wish, that I could say that this utterly, perfect bedroom was part of our home.  That this delightful room was the first and last thing my daughters saw everyday.  It isn't.  Sob. But I do see it everyday and so could you. It's on page 138 of a absolutely fantastic book called Home ~ FamilyLifeStyle by Anita Kaushal ISBN 978-0-500-51366-8.

Gosh, I love this book.  I saw it in Borders on our London trip on Wednesday and just had to buy it there and then - even though I knew that carrying a heavy hardback book around London, along with a few magazines (and that was before we hit Cath's,) would not be an easy thing. Since I've been back I haven't yet properly 'read' it but dipped in and out and poured over the pictures, especially p138/139; which incidentally is Sam McKechnie's home, of Magpie & the Wardrobe...oh those Fairies..

Why has it touched me? Well let me try and explain. It's a book about home (one of the sweetest words in any language don't you think?) and is divided into 4 sections ~ Live, Share, Nest, Bare. It's about making your home not only beautiful but a nurturing haven for those who share it with you. I quote, 'Our home-life can have a huge impact on who we are; as adults it affects our daily lives and moods, and for children it influences the kind of people they will become.' Ooh, no pressure then!

The words actually encourage not dissuade, and linger with you as you try and recall them throughout the day. The photos are wonderful and are inspirational. Even the pages smell good. Yes, I have a passion for smelling new books! They are wholesome and not glossy (reminding me of the wonderful  Apples For Jam)

So I guess you can say I love it. And it wasn't just that fabulous bedroom that caught my eye, oh no, I saw a photo of a small, red poster  (vintage WWII) with the words,

Keep Calm & Carry On

and with Christmas rapidly approaching and again my panic levels rising daily; you will hear me muttering this mantra as I carry on trying my very best to keep calm!

Blast from the past

Over the last few months I have been lucky enough to come across some true vintage goodness in book form. I have always had a copy next to my bed of Arthur Stanley's The Bedside Book ~ A Miscellany for The Quiet Hours ~ written in 1947.  I love anthologies and this never fails to delight; and delighted I was to find recently The New Bedside Book ~ Peace At The Close.  The language 'Peace At The Close'..why couldn't I think up something so simple but so succinct.  I'm also enjoying Elizabeth Craig's Housekeeping written in 1947; how many books have you read that has a whole weeks menu for a cat?

I love the language again when home making was an art and a full time job.  I am hoping to pick up some hints as my housekeeping skills are decidedly lacking.

I've also seem to be building up quite a collection of old books about Britain. The Shell Country Book is all about the British country and how it has evolved through the ages and I'm finding it rather fascinating reading - gee I must be getting old when I would rather read about Yew Trees instead of the latest Jilly Cooper. No wonder my children's eyes raise to the heavens

when I show them my latest collection of books! And to top that off I have

the old fashioned Reader's Digest Book Of The British Countryside...umm..it's not looking very cool is it? It's the sort of book that your Great Uncle John would have been given for Christmas in 1970.

Maybe it's not just Britain who's historic. Still, you'll never know when you might have to explain the intricate workings of the Hurdy-Gurdy - right, now on to Bird Song At Morning.

Merry & Bright - not!

Merry and bright....me..now..no blooming way! I have just settled down to blog about my new Christmas book when I have just been told some awful news. I should really wait  to calm down before I write this post but I want my blog to reflect the 'real' me and the 'real' me is so upset at this precise moment. You see I have just found out that my beloved Anna Raeburn has left the London radio station that I only recently found her on. Ahhhh! Anyone who knows me will know how at every available moment (car, sewing, walking, crocheting, dozing, cooking, ironing, gardening) I listen to Anna on her 2 hour afternoon show. How do I listen to a London show all the way down in Devon; the magic of Podcasting! I used to listen to Anna (who advises people on their problems) many years ago and suddenly she went off radar for years only to be rediscovered by me last November - she was back. Oh the joy!

If anyone asked me what was one of my highlights of 2006, finding Anna again was at the top of the list. I found that I could download her shows onto my ipod (and there are about 400 old shows) for a small fee and that was that. I am slowly working my way through them all. Perfect. I love radio shows that have the public ringing in to contribute because I love people and am always so curious (some could say nosy!!) about how people tick. Anna fulfilled this and so much more. She is such a wonderful woman, soft but takes no nonsense, and so wise. My ipod is so full,  I can only download a few at a time. But that was the pleasure, knowing there were so many pleasurable hours of listening to catch up on. And now she has left..no one can tell me why. I am worried that they may remove the archives that I so love.

So there you have it, my first week at school which has been very tiring and trying with 29 new 4 year olds, quite a few headaches and now no Anna. What a bummer! I'm sorry, I so wanted to be merry and bright..

My new book is from the US Country Living magazine but is able to be bought at the UK Amazon ISBN -13:978-1-58816-636-4. It is giving me many excitable moments while I'm scanning the magazine racks for anything remotely Christmassy. Hopefully not long to wait..

There is definitely one thing I am adding to my Christmas list this year - a bigger ipod! I will now have to download all the Anna podcasts, just in case. Umm...really like that cool little red ipod nano... we'll see! And if by a miracle Anna may come across this little blog, thank you, I hope you are OK and I'm missing you already..

More inspiration

I only went into the book shop(Costa Coffee has a corner there) for a Latte (skinny with one shot, please) and always look at the Crafts & Interiors section on my way past. It was there I saw this 'new' crochet book. It is very good, with a flower section, alphabet section (possibly my favourite - beautifully crocheted letters which could embellish cards, gifts, cushions either with the recipient's name or initials) shape section with pictures & geometric shapes and finally a project section. The ISBN is 978-1-904991-64-9.

It is set out with clear instructions and is attractively put together.

So I rushed home and bought it on Amazon! Well, you didn't think I was going to pay £14.99 did you?

From the list - #2

I'm afraid I can't show you any of the Chelsea Flower Show but I can recommend a garden book that I got from the library yesterday.

New Country Garden by Elspeth Thompson & Melanie Eclare ISBN1-84172-178-6. The pictures are really beautiful

and I have fallen in love with the pink cow parsley on the right. I love cow parsley and often have it in the house shoved in a jug. That's when I usually stop the car and grab some from the grass verges much to everyone's embarrassment! It's just heavenly and it's proper name is Chaerophyllum hirsutum 'Roseum' but I think I would call it lacy pink heaven. Has anyone else seen any or maybe you have some. If you have, is it easy to grow? I expect if it's related to the white cow parsley it must be very hardy. I'll be looking for some and let you know if I find any.

Talking of heaven, Alice has been sitting over the weekend with her nose buried in some books that were kindly sent to me from the US. They are called 'The Fairy Chronicles' by J.H. Sweet. She has taken the role of reviewer very seriously and would like to tell you about them.

Hello it's Alice here. I really like the books as they are about fairies who could be at school with you as they are normal girls. I like how it teaches you to look after yourselves and our world. I keep wanting to read them and have nearly finished the second one. Each book introduces a new fairy that has been granted special gifts. I like the description and magic.

I particularly love the illustrations and at the back of each book there is instructions on how to make something from the story - the Dream Bracelet in one and Powdered Sugar Puff Pastries in the other. A nice touch. The books are for aged 7+ and they present adventure with team work that sends a positive message. It's lovely to see her reading..long may it last!

Well, my half term holiday is drawing to a close. Lyme Regis was not visited unfortunately but it will someday soon. I will show you my other cushion (# 3 on my list) tomorrow.

Enjoy what is left of your weekend!

Crafter's Companion

Thank you, thank you for all your best wishes, prayers & positive thoughts. After 6 hours on the operating table and a further 2 hours in recovery my mother is still with us! Dramatic, I know, but that is the truth of the matter and I am dramatic, it's in the genes. I still feel nervous as it was 6 days later that it all went so badly wrong. She is not very happy..in bad pain and they have moved her colostomy to just where her waist band lies. There must have been a good reason to put it there(?!?) but we will help her adapt to that. So all seems to be good for the moment. I was comforted by so many of you thinking of us from all over the world and I will print off all your comments to show her. Isn't this blog thing good? Thank you.

I bought the Crafter's Companion last week and am absolutely loving it and highly recommend it. I saw that Nonnie had bought it (and she thought that she was the last!!) and saw that Amazon was selling it for £7 ish so couldn't resist, though I think they have put the price up again. No matter, it's still good and I'm glad to support this book. What incredible talent is out there in Blogland. I'm also waiting for the latest copy of the Waltons series 4, which should be arriving tomorrow, just ready for my days off!

Oh the excitement!

Knitted Flowers

My book arrived yesterday and I'm really pleased with it. Yay, I love being pleased with books I've chosen from Amazon as it is a risk I find hard to take when you can't flick through it before you buy and you just have to read reviews and look at the cover!

I have another Nicky Epstein book and it didn't really inspire me so I took a gamble on this one and it paid off! It has 5 chapters headed; stitch pattern flowers, petal constructed flowers, cord flowers, felted stitch pattern flowers and felted cut flowers. The flowers are knitted with a wide variety of yarns but it is the felted ones that appeal to me most.

These felted roses are my favourite. Apparently you knit a square, then felt the wool, and then cut out the roses from a template and sew them together. Easy. I like that.

The book has 2 ISBN numbers: 10:1-931543-88-7 and 13:978-1-931543-88-0. 

I'm off treasure hunting (and yarn hunting) in Totnes. I'll take my camera so you can join me too..

Happy New Year!

Hummmph. It's over and I'm feeling blue. Everyone is feeling sleepy and slow and I feel strange. I have just waved my father off on the train and in one way I'm glad to get the house back to normal (well, normal might be pushing it!) but I feel empty now that Christmas is gone. This is a normal (there's that word again) feeling for me in January and I now come to expect this and try to give myself something to look forward to, but it still takes me a few weeks to come around.

I have plenty of reading matter to inspire me! My present from Anth this year were some books. I have been buying them over the last 3 months and squirreling them away.

The photo is blurry and that is one New Years Resolution I am going to keep, to learn a bit more about my camera and editing. I was given The Seasonal Home by Kristin Perers. I think this is my favourite book of the lot. I bought an old copy and the photos are lovely. Next is The Handcrafted Wedding by Sarah Lugg. No, I'm not getting re-married - I saw an article in an old copy of Country Living (Aug 03) and I fell in love with Sarah's work. Exquisite details. This book is again an old one but it is fairly easy to get yourself a copy if you want one. Next is Shabby Chic's Sumptuous Settings by Rachel Ashwell, I don't think it is as nice as her other books, picture wise, but I haven't spent much time reading it yet. Next up, is Country Livings Floral Interiors by Judy Spours. Again another old book. Lovely. Last up is Cheap Chic by Emily Chambers. My 3rd favourite of the lot, I seem to be heading this way in how I want to decorate our home.

I think one of my favourite gifts was this box file from GreenGate given to me by my mother.

It is just right for keeping my smaller pictures in ready to stick them in my current inspiration book.

Thank you for all your good wishes over the Christmas holiday. I've been doing my blog for nearly a year now (end of this month) and it has been such a pleasure to 'meet' new friends. I love the fact that you take time to comment and show an interest in my mundane life - I never really thought that would touch me as it has and I hold my blog community close to my heart. Thank you. Thank you for reading and for joining me in my journey through 2006 - hey do you fancy sticking around for 2007?

Hope so..

Christmas is coming!

Time seems to be racing by this year and my favourite time of the year is upon us. I quite enjoy spring, tolerate summer (just) but count the days until the weeks before Christmas. Yes, this is time of year I love best. I look forward all year to preparing for Christmas. I particularly love, and I mean really love, Christmas magazines. I keep my birthday money (which conveniently falls at the end of November!) to buy almost every December edition of the home/woman's interest section! Worse is that I mark off on the calender when they are published...Country Living, obviously is the one that has me hyperventilating most but the Christmas edition of the Radio Times (TV listings magazine) is one of my annual highlights. Have I mentioned before that I am turning into a bit of a TV addict? Mmm.. it's not something that I really like about myself but I blame Sky+ and my cozy corner on the sofa and  our real fire..who would want to go out and leave that?  Anyway, back to the Radio Times..I sit with a cup of tea and a pen and go through the Christmas and New Year programmes ticking the ones I want to watch. I feel a bit embarrassed confessing this, even more when I tell you that I have been known to argue with the shop assistants (very un-me!) when they tell me that they haven't got the Christmas edition and I then show them the advertisement that says that it should be 'out now!' This causes great hilarity with my family! The funny thing is I usually don't end up watching what I have previously ticked...but it is my little ritual. I love to see what the front covers look like too. I do cut out my favourite pictures for my Christmas inspiration books so the magazines are not 'wasted' and I then gaze longingly at them all year..waiting! Christmas music too, but I will save that for another day!

You can imagine my delight when I came across the above book last week. I was hoping that there would be an inspiring Christmas book this year and bought this from Amazon for the front cover alone! It arrived yesterday and it is beautiful. I have seen some of the pictures before (the publishers obviously use the same picture library) but it still is a lovely book.

This advent calender is one of my favourite things to make - the colours are wonderful. The ISBN is 1-84597-255-4 if you are interested and it is by Antonia Swinson.

If you know of any other Christmas books I would like, or magazines to feed my addiction, let me know - I would love some more inspiration!